


i'll be your home

by milkthief



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Comfort, Drabble, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, breakdowns, slight angst, unedited, university induced stress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-30 14:57:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19405654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/milkthief/pseuds/milkthief
Summary: When the world proves to be too much for Donghyuck's shoulders, Mark will always be there to remind him he's not alone.(alternatively, donghyuck suffers from university induced stress. mark comforts him.)





	i'll be your home

**Author's Note:**

> hey! i'm back! and another self indulgent fic! for all you people out there stressed due to uni :/

“You okay?” Mark speaks not above a whisper, afraid that even the slightest noise would hurt Donghyuck. Said boy is curled up into a ball on their now shared bed but Mark doesn’t mind. He feels a swell of happiness over the fact that his bedroom became  _ theirs  _ now, Donghyuck barely visiting his own just across the hall of their shared apartment, unless he’s studying or indulged in his hobbies and ministrations. 

  
  


He sees the younger boy shake his head gently, followed by a small “no”. From where Mark was standing, shoulders touching the door frame in an attempt to ground himself, Donghyuck seems a tad bit smaller and more vulnerable than usual. The only light source in the room was from Donghyuck’s whale night light that already made home in Mark’s room.

  
  


The older boy gently treads over to where Donghyuck was— engulfed by the sea of blankets that smell exactly like  _ them _ . He looked like an exhausted angel in Mark’s eyes. The usual glow and warmth in Donghyuck’s demeanour that Mark loves to get lost in are nowhere to be found. 

  
  


“Do you want to talk about it?” Mark leans toward the other boy, voice still soft. Actions calculated since he is still mindful of Donghyuck’s space. Donghyuck always values his space in times he feels vulnerable.

  
  


It takes a breath before Donghyuck’s eyes water, his facade breaks and he answers, “I just want you here by my side.” There it was, the trust evident in Donghyuck’s words. Finally, after working on it so hard while they were in a relationship, Donghyuck has realized it’s okay to tell people you need help.

  
  


After those words, the sheer vulnerability presented before him, Mark sits next to the boy and pulls him into his own body. Donghyuck’s head perfectly slots onto the dip of Mark’s shoulder. The heat emanating from his older boyfriend penetrates through the younger boy’s clothes, making him feel so enveloped, grounded, and so aware of his own cold body. Then, the tears started pooling in his eyes, just a little more until they’re going to stream down his face. His throat constricts harder in an effort to stop it all.

  
  


“What’s wrong baby?” Mark draws small soothing circles on Donghyuck’s back, voice heavily tinged with worry. “Is there something bothering you?” 

  
  


With that, Donghyuck’s sobs began to grow louder, uncontrolled. “I did bad on my exam today. I just know I did bad. I felt so unsure of my answers and oh god, Mark. I’m going to fail so bad. I—” Donghyuck hiccups. Tears were now streaming from his face, soaking Mark’s grey tee. But he doesn’t mind, he doesn’t mind. Mark is Donghyuck’s bastion and he will always be there to support him every step of the way.

  
  


The older boy just draws Donghyuck in tighter into him, forcing Donghyuck to straddle his lap in order to get a more comfortable view for talking. “Baby, it’s okay if ever you didn’t do great this time,” Mark starts. Donghyuck tries his best to maintain a tough face as he stares into Mark’s soft eyes— full of love and admiration as always. But his tears seem to have a mind of their own as they still kept falling. Luckily Mark was there to wipe them away with his thumb as Donghyuck’s lower lip quivers. 

  
  


“It’s still midterms, baby.” Mark encloses Donghyuck’s hands with his own, between their bodies, thumb rubbing comforting circles just the way he knows that puts the younger boy at ease. “You’re always at the top of your class. I know that. Stop beating yourself too hard okay?”

  
  


Donghyuck’s mind runs over a million things— are Mark’s words really true? What if he fails? What if…

  
  


“I can hear you thinking from here,” Mark attempts to lighten the mood. He then proceeds to bring Donghyuck’s hands near his lips and kisses each of the younger boy’s knuckles. 

“Hyuckie,” Mark starts. Hearing the nickname makes Donghyuck’s heart skip a little, butterflies filling in. “You are amazing, okay? I know that you are very capable of passing the semester. Don’t overwork yourself like last time, please.” The younger boy observes Mark’s worried eyes. 

  
  


Donghyuck’s mind is instantly filled with memories from that time he was so sleep deprived and with his body only running on coffee and a few biscuits that he fainted on the way to the exam hall. Luckily, someone immediately brought him to the clinic. Mark was so worried that day— attending to Donghyuck’s needs after he woke up even when the boy told him he was already fine. 

“I’m here for you, baby. Always.” Mark tucks a stray strand of Hyuck’s hair behind his ear, palm immediately cupping Donghyuck’s cheek.

  
  


Donghyuck’s tears already stopped. He looks into Mark’s eyes and sees nothing but love and pure admiration. Sometimes he thinks he’s not worthy of Mark’s love. But Mark is there, always, truly, patiently waiting for him to come out of his shell when he’s ready. He wonders how he got so lucky to be with someone who cares from him so much. 

  
  


For a few minutes, the two just stayed put— Mark rubbing comforting circles on Donghyuck’s back as the other clasps his arms around the older boy’s neck, face buried in Mark’s shoulders, inhaling his comforting smell. Finally, Donghyuck is grounded— he is home, right in the confines of Mark’s strong’s arms. 

  
  


Mark doesn’t say anything despite feeling Donghyuck’s warm tears coming into contact with his shoulder. He just proceeds to pat Donghyuck’s back.  _ I’m here _ , he channels everything.  _ I’m here _ . After a few more seconds, the sniffling comes to a halt. Mark stares at their reflection in the full length mirror at the foot of their bed. Donghyuck looks small and vulnerable, all curled up into Mark’s arms. 

  
  


“Do you want to talk about it now?” Mark asks softly. 

“Yeah,” Donghyuck starts. “I just,” he sighs, hands attempting to articulate but he lets it fall between him and Mark. “I just feel so swamped by everything. The readings, non-stop quizzes, all leading up to this exam. I just feel so frustrated and I just want to spend time with you, Mark. Honestly.” 

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice earlier,” Mark confesses. 

“ **No** ,” Donghyuck says a little bit stronger than usual. “I mean, don’t beat yourself up just because of me.”

Mark just hugs him tighter, attempting to channel every love he could muster into that hug. Then he kisses Donghyuck’s forehead. The younger smiles softly. 

  
  


“I’m just really glad you’re here,” Donghyuck says softly. “You keep me grounded, you know? When everything seems to be going haywire…  _ you’re there _ .”

Mark just smiles until it reaches his eyes. If only Donghyuck knew that he is one of Mark’s major driving forces. 

  
  
  


“You feel a little better than earlier?” Mark inquires, squeezing Hyuck’s hands and then patting Donghyuck’s hair gently. 

“Yeah. I do feel better than how I was when you weren’t here,” Donghyuck then fixes Mark’s ruffled hair in an attempt to not meet his boyfriend’s eyes. 

  
  


“Oh… baby you know if you need someone to talk to I’m always here. I was so worried! You weren’t answering my calls. We could have had dinner near campus. Jaemin told me you went home early and—” Mark cuts himself off. “ You know what? I bet you’re hungry. Let’s go out and eat then...” Mark trails off, fixing a stray hair away from Donghyuck’s face. “...then maybe I can help you study? If you want?” He searches Donghyuck’s eyes for some uncertainty. It makes Hyuck’s heart squeeze in on itself. Mark is so respectful and so attentive when it comes to his needs. 

  
  


Donghyuck smacks Mark’s shoulder playfully. “Of course I’d want you to help me study. I don’t know how you do it so well. You make me retain the information better to be honest,” Donghyuck confesses. 

  
  


Mark’s eyes light up and then he slips into a smug demeanour. “Of course! The perks of having a boyfriend a year above you.” Mark ends it with a very obnoxious wink. 

  
  


Donghyuck cracks a smile and buries his face into Mark’s neck. Then came out a muffled voice. 

“What?” Mark attempts to pry Donghyuck off of him but the younger boy doesn’t budge. 

  
  


The younger boy detaches himself from Mark’s neck and with his head down, unable to meet eyes, he says, “I said I love you.”

  
  


Mark’s giggles fill in the sad spaces in the room, spilling through cracks like warm sunrise. 

  
  


“Let’s get ice cream first?” The older boy asks as he holds Donghyuck’s face in both of his hands. 

“Okay,” Donghyuck answers and laces their hands together. “Ice cream.”

The two boys slip out of Mark’s room— faces flushed, holding hands, and pajama-clad. 

But they couldn’t care less, couldn’t be more in love. 

**Author's Note:**

> connect with me on [twt](www.twitter.com/markderys)!


End file.
